PSG at risk of dropping into Europa League after dismal loss to RB Leipzig
Group H of this season’s UEFA Champions League remains one of the trickiest groups to navigate so far. After three games, there is still very little to separate all four teams in the group.
Interestingly, each team in the group has won at least one game and has also tasted defeat. Manchester United and RB Leipzig top the group with six points apiece, while Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir have three points each.
Both games played in the group on Wednesday ended 2-1. Manchester United lost for the first time in Europe this season after falling at Istanbul Basaksehir.
Meanwhile, PSG also put up a poor performance away at RB Leipzig and suffered defeat to the Bundesliga high-flyers.
PSG trail Man United and RB Leipzig in Group H
While both results have blown the group wide open, it is PSG’s position that is most precarious. The Ligue 1 champions made it to the final of the Champions League last season and were expected to challenge for the trophy this season.
However, their only win in the competition has come against Istanbul Basaksehir, who are widely regarded as the underdog of the group.
The Parisians are in direct competition with Manchester United and RB Leipzig for a chance to progress from the group, but now risk dropping into the Europa League after two defeats in three games.
PSG started Wednesday’s game against RB Leipzig on a perfect note after Angel di Maria scored their opening goal in just six minutes.
PSG heading towards Europa League?
With Neymar and Kylian Mbappe absent from the squad, the Argentine winger led the attack with Moise Kean and Pablo Sarabia. Di Maria, though, went from hero to villain after missing a penalty which would have put PSG 2-0 up.
That miss would ultimately prove costly, as RB Leipzig came from behind to win 2-1, thanks to goals from Christopher Nkunku and Emil Forsberg. It went from bad to worse for the Parisians when Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpembe saw red before the final whistle.
"We have three more games, we have to stay positive," said Marquinhos after the game, as quoted by Goal.
"In the locker room, we have to continue to improve. This competition is very difficult, we have to increase our level of play if we want to go far. It is between us that we will work for the next three games."
While the team can still turn things around by winning their three remaining games their chances look increasingly slim. There is a genuine danger that they could drop into the Europa League, which would be a disaster for a club of PSG's stature.